Another Source of the Thames

Travelling through Gloucestershire on our way to Cornwall we paused at Seven Springs. We have passed along this route a few times and never given it thought. This time we decided to have a coffee at a well-equipped van in a lay-by just off the A436. Like many lay-bys it used to be part of the original road before it was straightened. As we wandered around the picturesque site under the shade of beech trees we noticed a set of steps down to a small stream running under the road and to decided to investigate.

Coffee by the springs (7)

The stream was crystal clear with water bubling from a series of springs (and yes there were seven). We had stumbled on the reason for the name of the hamlet but it turned out we had also come across something a bit more intersting.

Investigating Seven Springs

Where the stream passes under the main road we found a stone embeded in the bridge proclaiming in Latin "Haic Tuus O Tamesine Pater Septemgeminus Fons". Obviously something Thames related - I never learnt Latin.

Latin Inscription

It all became clearer when we discovered a grubby notice in the lay-by from the local parish council who stated the sites claim to be the "the ultimate source of the Thames". It was Coberley Parish Council who arranged to the engraved stone to be set into the bridge. The waters from the seven springs form the River Chum and this flows into the Thames at Cricklade. On the basis that the waters at Thames Head sometimes run dry, and the waters from Seven Springs do not, they consider their claim to be the true source is convincing.

The Parish Council also point out on the notice that regarding this as the Source of the Thames adds an extra 14 miles to its length making it 9 miles longer than the River Severn and the longest river flow in the UK. So perhaps the answer to the quiz question "What is the UK's longest river?" could be the Thames, or perhaps more accurately the Chum/Thames.

Either way, I still can't get out of my head the Michael Bentine (It's a Square World) sketch where they search for the Source of the Thames. They find it to be a dripping tap in a field, they turn it off and this drains the whole river.

Kelmscott Manor

Almost 12 years ago we had a trip up the Upper Thames and moored up at Kelmscott overnight. This was following the summer 2007 floods that devastated the Cotswolds and caused havoc across central England. We had planned to visit the former summer home of William Morris, Kelmscote Manor but, although the floods had subsided, the damage to the house was so bad it was closed to the public. We particularly remembered that even the Plough Inn was out of beer because of the flooding and an unfortunate couple who had travelled from Norfolk in their camper van to visit the manor and had slept overnight outside only to discover it was closed for the rest of the year.

Since then we have not been back along this stretch by boat, so when we found ourselves travelling through the Cotswolds a week ago we decided it was about time that as William Morris enthusiasts we visited Kelmscott. We were not disappointed.   

Kelmscott village does lie a little off the beaten track but it is delightful. A visit to the manor can effectively become a visit to the whole village since there are connections throughout to Morris family (William, Jane and May) and their fellow Pre-Raphaelite, Dante Gabriel Rossetti who had a complex relationship with the Morris family . Just look at the map supplied by the manor.

We arrived late morning on a glorious summer's day and parked in the village car park (a field) designated for manor visitors. After "the pub with no beer" episode twelve years ago we visited The Plough and had a great lunch. The inn has several rooms so would make a good centre for walkers since it's not far from the Thames Path. It was busy and one of their outside rooms was set up for a party. I discussed the floods with the staff - it appears that the wooden floor of the pub was destroyed by the floods so they now have one in stone.

A pub with beer - this time

On the gentle walk to the manor we passed the cottage that has a wonderful stone carving of William Morris and I was also taken with some unusual nearby stone fencing.

William Morris contemplating life

Memorial Cottages 1902 - carved by George Jack

 Quite a different field boundary

The manor is not a large property if you are familiar with visiting stately homes, and you will soon become aware that it had a long history before Morris lived there. Visiting this building is all about William Morris and his work, but there are other little gems, notably by his daughter May who lived there for many years following his death.

William Morris's Bed  

Jane Morris's Bed decorated in Willow Boughs 

It is a widely held view that Willow Boughs (which we have decorating Albert) was inspired by the backwater of the Thames that passes through Kelmscott.

 

Split-stepped staircase installed by the Society of Antiquaries in 1962

Attic bedspread

Jane and William Morris

Cartoon of Morris fishing on the Thames

The gardens and outbuildings shouldn't be forgotten. Maggie and I were particularly taken by the massive mulberry tree in the back garden. It was too early in the season for ripe fruit but maybe in late August?

Kelmscott Manor's magnificent mulberry

A Three-seat Privy

The Manor owned by the Society of Antiquaries of London and is only open Wednesdays and Saturdays in the summer. Also this year it will close for an extended works, mostly associated with the outbuildings and infrastructure so next year they may have quite a short season. I did ask the guides about the damage done in 2007. It appears that none of the artifacts were damaged but they had to have a new floor at the rear of the building.

Morris's Topcoat

The mooring at Kelmscott is a very short walk to the manor and is a delightful setting. Although we moored up there in 2007 and have now visited the manor, we still aspire to do both things at the same time. I suppose that is icing on the cake? - talking of which the manor does cream teas!

Kelmscott moorings

Tideway to Brentford

On October 24th, the Wednesday day of the half-term week, we left the non-tidal Thames and went back to the Grand Union at Brentford. Passage was booked for 3 o'clock at high tide so we had a leisurely cruise down to Teddington Lock where we had lunch.

Enjoying lunch in the sun

Moored up at the lock

Once again the weather was kind with clear blue skies and lots of sun. Unlike the passage upriver this was at a full-moon with spring tide. The difference was marked with the tide taking the water level over the banks near Richmond.

As we left the lock with another narrow boat that was going down to their moorings at Chelsea Harbour, a gaggle of boats coming up on the tide from Brentford arrived. This included the former GUCC working-boat Dover that was featured some time back in a TV series.

Passing NB Dover at Teddington

Just a little downstream is the obelisk marking the border between the Port of London Authority and the old Thames Conservancy.  I've reported about the monument before (2008) - but from the bank.

Thames Conservancy/ Port of London marker near Teddington

Thames full to the brim at Richmond Hill

Passed by a PLA Cutter near Richmond

Richmond Bridge

Richmond

Twickenham

It was another delightful passage but as we got closer to Brentford the tide began to kick-in. It was first noticeable as we passed some buoys but then we definitely began moving more quickly.  As always the turn into Brentford created interest. The entrance to the Grand Union is not very noticeable and you have to watch closely to spot it. Also the maneuver turning across the stream usually requires some power and this time was no exception; but we also had to cope with some racing eights and their coaching launches. 

Passing some large vessels at Brentford

We had a warm welcome from the CRT lock keeper at the Thames Lock but by then the light was beginning to fade. We made it up through the automated Gauging Lock which had its own clean air initiative.

CRT's clean air initiative at Brentford

The mooring situation in Brentford basin was dire. No free spaces because nearly all berths are either 14 days or winter moorings. A developer wanting to sell posh flats has also taken out some spaces to install a pontoon with no rings and a sign saying No Mooring. The idea appears to be to make those visiting the show flat (basically a temporary box) avoid looking out over unsightly boats. Shades of what happened to the visitor moorings in Paddington Basin, Mind you some of the boats moored up on the 14 day moorings by our reckoning had been there over a month. After some persistence we finally double-berthed (breasted-up) against the inspection launch Peggy May who had come up the Tideway to Teddington with us earlier in the month.

Our overnight mooring at Brentford

In the evening we visited the excellent The Weir which is nearby and had a farewell early dinner with the family. A very enjoyable meal to end the day and our Thames Cruise. It was back to Grand Union locking in the morning.

Cruising around Shepperton

Over the early part of the school's half-term holiday we had a terrific three-day cruise along the Thames with our daughter Lucy and our granddaughters. Basically we did a small amount of cruising during the day followed by sleepovers on Albert for the oldest two granddaughters, Amelia (8) and Florence (6). The weather was warm and dry and this made the holiday idyllic.

Hampton Court Moorings

Golden Gates outside the Privy Garden

Late afternoon sun on the Long Canal at Hampton Court

(Panorama)

We visited Hampton Court where there was a Beast Quest event and The Magic Garden and moored up at Sunbury and Shepperton. Along the way the family operated some of the locks where there lock-keepers were not on duty and even managed riverside picnic.

Picnic near Chertsey

Particularly memorable was our mooring outside the Red Lion at Shepperton. Situated on the old main channel of the river, alongside Desborough Island, this proved such a hit for a lunchtime mooring we returned again for the evening. The close proximity to the station made it very useful for those not staying onboard overnight to return home to Teddington.

Mooring at The Red Lion, Shepperton

During our period on the river the number of rowing crews training was considerable. The good weather and the school's holidays obviously having an influence. There were single sculls, double sculls, quad sculls and octuple (8X) sculls. There were also pairs, fours (coxed and coxless) and eights. The whole gamut in fact. The ranges of skills and ages on offer varied (as did the steering) but some looked first-rate.

Thames Rowing and Sculling

Florence bird watching

The Weir, Sunbury - one of our overnight moorings

The Lensbury, Teddington

We kept Albert on the The Lensbury moorings ahead of the October half-term school holidays. The location worked out well for us but the specific moorings we were allocated, the so-called steamer landing was required for a visiting trip boat on Saturday October 13th. Since we needed to move Albert along to another berth we decided to take her out for a short trip to Kingston.

Albert on the Lensbury Steamer Landing

The steamer moorings included water and electricity supply and we really very good except for one feature. Like many moorings there are trees around. Trees in autumn mean leaves, which is not usually a problem, but in this case they also meant bird droppings. Now bird droppings can be a nuisance but when they come from parakeets then they are trouble. A tree just a little away from the boat appeared to be a nesting site and the tree directly above the stern was a favourite roosting site. From what was deposited all over the stern in large clumps, their diet appeared to consist largely of berries.   

Albert under a tarpaulin 

The offending rose-ringed parakeets by their nest

As a result of the parakeet guano deposited on the roof, we put a tarpaulin over the worst effected area. On the Saturday I spent quite some time scrubbing. Luckily most of it came off cleanly but it did some did damage to a small area of the rear hatch. Albert attacked by aliens! 

Sailing on the Kingston reach

Rowing on the Kingston reach

The weather was bright and dry for our short trip to Kingston and back but the breeze was strong which was great for the sailors but not easy for mooring when we returned to The Lensbury. We had to go around failing to come in cleanly on our first attempt.

Turks steamer using the steamer landing 

(and being blown off-shore)

Teddington via the Tideway

We had booked our passage to Teddington on the single available tide just after midday, so we spent the morning preparing Albert - getting out our lifejackets, fitting the anchor and generally tidying up. As the song goes, what a difference a day makes! The sun was bright in a clear blue sky and the wind was calm. Just the day for trip along the Thames.

Message to dogs and their owners, Brentford Gauging Lock

We had the benefit of a volunteer keeper at the gauging lock and then met the only other boat going up to Teddington which turned out to be a Peter Nicholls Inspection Launch - Peggy May. It was their first time on the Tideway and they appeared happy they we could accompany them.

A narrowboat soon approached from Limehouse and went up the lock. We then dropped onto the river and proceeded upstream.

Brentford in the background

Twickenham

Richmond Half-Lock

Richmond

Richmond Hill

Teddington Lock

It was a glorious cruise and we made Teddington Lock in just over an hour. The lock was set ready for us and we then sorted out our EA Licence. It was then time for us to travel across the river to the moorings at The Lensbury where we will keep Albert for a few days ahead of cruising with the family. They were there to greet us.